Making It Right
by lighteninglady
Summary: Jack makes a mistake then realizes what he has to do.
1. Chapter 1

Making It Right 

Well, let's get the usual statements out of the way first.

I don't own anything, I'm not making any money off of this, yadda yadda yadda.

Thanks to my awesome beta NG and to Rural for her encouragement.

**Chapter One**

It was the end of another day.  A day that Jack decided was defiantly worthy of a stop off at his favorite watering hole.  He would drown his frustrations in a few drinks then head home…. alone.  It was not something he made a habit of, but now and again, after one of those days, it was just necessary.  

He walked in and plopped down on his usual bar stool and nodded to the bartender.  '_Tina' he thought,  '_that's her name_'.  He had been coming here long enough to remember that much.  That and the fact that he knew she had a crush on him.  A bit young for his taste, but flattering none the less.  He supposed the fact that he was always generous with his tips helped too.  _

Tina walked over to Jack's side of the bar. 

"Hi Jack."  She said with a smile.  "The usual?"

"Yeah."  He gave a half smile and shrugged out of his leather jacket.

Her grin broadened.  Oh yeah, he could still be appreciated at his age.

She turned around, filled up his glass, and returned with a tumbler full of whisky. 

Jack contemplated the glass, took in the aroma, and then helped himself to a healthy swig of the soothing liquid.  By then Tina was moving up and down the bar tending to her other customers.  

***********

Jack sighed, and continued nursing his second drink.  He was lonely.  Not a lonely drunk…… just tired of being lonely.  A man could only take so much, and he didn't know how much longer he could go on without the companionship of a certain someone.  Someone who was completely out of reach.  The strain on their friendship over the past couple years had only driven them further apart.  She was nothing more than the constant professional anymore.  He downed the last of his drink and raised his glass to Tina in signal for another.

**************

Before he knew it Jack had lost count of how many drinks he had.  Just then Tina yelled out last call for the bar and he knew it had been far too many and he had been there for far too long.  He was also vaguely aware that Tina had been quite openly flirting with him for a while now.  His heart ached.  Oh to be wanted.

Jack was still sitting at the bar, fiddling with a napkin as Tina finished cleaning up and closing down the bar.  _'Too much to drink', _he mused.  He just didn't know what to do with himself.  A voice broke him out of his stupor.  

"Hey Jackie."

"It's Jack."  He looked up slightly irritated.

"Okay Jack."  Tina replied.  "We're closed up now.  How about I call you a cab?"

"Naw, I'm fine."   

'_Am I really fine?_' Jack wondered.

"No can do Jack.  I'm calling you a cab."

A phone call later and she was walking out the door with him, locking up behind them.

"I'll wait with you, 'k' Jack."  

It was not really a question.  She seemed genuinely concerned.

"Ah, okay.  I've gotta go get something outta my truck though."

He headed over towards his vehicle and she followed him.  Jack unlocked the driver's side door and leaned in to get his briefcase. '_Damn paperwork_'.

While he was mentally cursing the Mountain for all the paperwork he had to do Tina was getting quite a nice view of his ass.  

He turned around to see a smile plastered on her face.

"What?"  He asked, actually unaware in his drunken state.

"What," she replied.  "What, is I think you're really hot."

Jack's mind was fuddled.  "Hot huh?"

"Mmmm, yeah."  Tina purred as she inched closer.

Jack quickly inhaled.  The back of his head was screaming to him that everything was wrong……. But it felt so right.

He dipped in for a kiss.  She returned it fiercely.

After kissing like animals, and grinding for what felt like forever Jack pulled back to catch his breath.  His brain wasn't screaming so much anymore.

As he leaned against the cold metal of the truck panting Tina began to work her way down his front to his belt buckle.  Before his next thought could register she had him completely undone and was grasping his engorged cock, breathing sweet puffs of warm air onto its head.  She circled her tongue around it once, and Jack stopped breathing.  

'_OH MY GOD_!'  

A touch so intimate, that he had been longing for so badly.  She licked her way up and down his shaft, cupping his balls, and then descended her way down his cock with her hot wet mouth.    

'_Sweet, so sweet'_.  

Slowly, ever so slowly she began to recede, used two wet fingers to put pressure on that sensitive area just behind his balls and then consumed him completely.  His cock hit the back of her throat, still sliding

.

"Oh god….Oh god…. You're so good," Jack gasped without even realizing.

Tina answered him with a short hum, which sent electric shocks through his shaft straight back to his balls and he bucked into her unconsciously.

His reaction was all the encouragement she needed. 

She went at him frantically, sucking, grasping, moaning, and rubbing her own crotch up against his shin in her squatting position.  

He wound his hands tightly in her hair and held on for the ride.

Within seconds he was pumping into her with a ferocity that he couldn't fathom.  

After a moment Tina began to tuck him back into his pants and straighten herself as he calmed his breathing.  Then she kissed him.  Her tongue swept through his mouth and he could taste himself on her.  He felt sick and repulsed.  Suddenly terrified, he could not get into his truck fast enough.  '_Fuck the cab.'  He mumbled a quick apology and then sped off, tires crunching and spraying gravel as they went._

************

Less than a mile down the road Jack's truck swerved then came to a screeching halt on the side of the road.  

He flung the door open and began to retch and empty the contents of his stomach in the grass.  

A cab drove past in the opposite direction.

'_What have I done?_'

Jack held his head in his hands and dry heaved a few more times.  The alcohol was all out of his system now and his actions were hitting him with painful clarity.  

He reached for the now warm bottle of water in his cup holder.  He rinsed and spit until the acidic taste of vomit was as faint as it was going to get, then leaned back in his seat.  

After shaking the whirlwind of thoughts to the back of his mind he set back to the task of driving home.  Somehow he managed to reach his driveway without incident.  

***************

He had showered and brushed his teeth, and was sitting on the foot of his bed already drowning in guilt.  

The beep on the coffee machine signaling it was done shook Jack from his stupor.  Coffee would not help his current situation, but he needed some kind of wake up call.

He made his way down to the kitchen and poured himself a cup.  Once in the living room with his feet propped up on the coffee table he allowed himself to really think.

'_Carter_'

It kept coming back to Carter.

He had fucked up so royally, and all he could think of was what she would think of him…. of his actions that night.  Not that he would ever tell her.  But he felt so guilty.  He had betrayed her.  In what way, he was not quite sure.  But he knew he had betrayed her, and it was unforgivable.    


	2. Note from the author

Note from the Author  
  
Hi all. Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. It's a long story involving my temporary banning from fanfiction.net, but I'm back now and behaving myself. I'm also trying to fix up some of my stories. While I was trying to figure out how to work my document stuff during my banning I managed to delete several chapters of this story. I managed to delete most of my reviews too. ( Anyway, the missing chapters should be back up again soon. hopefully by tonight if I can figure out what the heck I'm doing. Computers really don't like me. heheh ;) Then maybe I'll even get to start updating.  
  
Lighteninglady 


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 

The throbbing in Jack's head intensified as he swam into consciousness.  

'_Ugh, morning.'_

His internal clock told him that it was about 06:00 hours and it was time to get ready for work.  The dryness in his mouth and the continued pounding in his brain told him it was time for water and Tylenol.  Lots of Tylenol.  If he felt old yesterday, today he felt that another decade had just passed him by.  

After having gone through his morning routine he was on his way back to Cheyenne Mountain.  Paperwork still undone.

Jack spent the morning trying to avoid his team.  He had been successful so far.  Holed up in his office, he had even managed to put a rather large dent in his pile of paperwork.  As he was placing another file in his out box there was a knock at his door.

"Come," he stated flatly to whomever was on the other side of the door.

Daniel entered carrying a couple steaming mugs of coffee.

"Hey Jack," he said as he set the cups down on the desk.

"Daniel."

"So, whatcha been doing in here all day?"

"All day?  It's only…" Jack looked at his watch,  "14:00 hours."  He shrugged nonchalantly.  "Paperwork."  

"Yeah.  Made some progress I see.  You know you forgot about that thing called lunch?"

"Isn't that supposed to be my line?"  Jack leaned over and took his cup of coffee.

"Well, today it's mine.  What's wrong Jack?"

"Nothing Daniel.  I'm just not feeling so great today.  Okay," he said as he scrubbed his hands through his already mussed hair.

Daniel nodded, sighed, and then took a drink of his coffee.  "Good brew today."

"What?"

"Good coffee Jack.  I'm changing the subject.  Ya know, beat you to the punch this time.  It's obvious you don't want to talk about whatever's bothering you."

Daniel's irritation was obvious and Jack's guilt and self-loathing was beginning to resurface.  He didn't know whether to yell or to spill it all, so silence ruled the moment.

Jack stared into the steaming liquid in his cup.

After what felt like an eternity he caved.

"Okay Daniel, I screwed up.  You happy now?"

Surprised, Daniel looked up from his coffee.  "Screwed what up?"

"Uh, stuff."  Jack began to fidget with his pen.

"Stuff?"

"It's hard to explain.  It's kinda personal, and…."  Jack let out a frustrated sigh.

Daniel shifted in his seat.

"You know you can talk to me Jack."

"I'm not so sure I can.  Not about this."

"Well, you'll never know unless you try."

The weight on Jack's heart was becoming too much to bear.  He had to make things right.  He had to make things right with Carter.

"I've gotta fix it."

"Jack, maybe you could shed a little light on the situation here.  You're talking in circles.  It's like a bad translation."  

That quip got a little chuckle out of both of them.  Then the air of seriousness descended upon the room again.

"I've gotta make things right with Carter."

The look on Daniel's face was priceless.  Shock combined with awe, and just a hint of confusion.

_'Oh hell.  Did I just say that out loud?'_

_'Great going O'Neill'_

"Uh huh.  Hmmm…" Daniel was stumped.

"I know things have been hard between the two of you lately.  I mean, god knows what you've been through together.  But what are you gonna do?"

Jack shook his head.  "I don't know.  I just don't know."

"Well, I don't know what's going on with you Jack, but since you don't seem to want to elaborate I'd suggest you try talking to her."

"You know I can't do that."

"Of course you can't," Daniel sighed.  

"You know what I mean…… No.  You don't know what I mean."  

Jack stood up and leaned over his desk.

 "Daniel, I swear, if you ever, ever tell anyone we had this conversation I'm going to take your rocks and shove them..."

Daniel jumped back in surprise.

"Whoa!  Whoa!  Hey Jack, I won't tell.  Okay?  Now talk to me."

"Alright, but you're not getting the colorful version."

"The colorful version?" 

"Wipe that smirk off your face."

"Okay, done.  This is serious….. and I won't tell anybody."

Jack sat back down and started passing his paperweight from hand to hand.  After a moment of silence he began to speak.

"I went out last night.  Had a little too much to drink.  Ended up with someone."

"Someone we know?"

"No!"  The answer came out a bit fast.

"Okay, no one we know."  

 "So it was a bad decision?," Daniel inquired.

"Yeah.  It was a really bad decision.  Hell, I don't even know if I consciously made a decision.  It just happened…. and it was a mistake."

Jack looked up from his paperweight, expecting some comment to come from Daniel.  He said nothing.  Well, he was on a roll now.  Might as well continue.

"It wasn't her I wanted.  And it's not her I'm still thinking about.  You can make what you want of that," he said with a nod to Daniel.

"Wow.  Uh, Jack, that's… that's quite a load there.  So Sam huh?"

 "Yeah, Sam," Jack said with a sigh.

Daniel lowered his head.  "I don't know what to tell you Jack."

"You don't have to tell me anything.  I know I've gotta do something.  I just don't know where to start."  

"The two of you, you've always depended on the regs and all, kept things professional.  What would happen?"

Jack sounded resigned.  "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

"Well, be careful Jack.  I don't want to see either of you hurt."

"I know Daniel.  And thanks… for being here and all."

"No problem.  So…. a late lunch?"

"Why not."

They then set off for the commissary, Jack with a little less on his shoulders and Daniel with much more on his mind.

Jack slid his badge through the elevator scanner then stood waiting for his escape from the mountain.  He was exhausted from all the paperwork.  If only he could have had a good 'firefight' today instead.

The elevator car arrived and the doors slid open to reveal no one other than Major Samantha Carter.

"Carter**,**" Jack said with a nod as he stepped inside.

"You're working late tonight Sir."

"Agh, finally got at my paperwork.  You're leaving early," he said with a smirk.

Sam smiled.  "Closer to on time would be more accurate."

They both shared a grin.  Too little too soon, the elevator surfaced at the top of the mountain and the doors slid open.  

"Well, goodnight Sir."

"Night Carter.  Have a good weekend."

"You too," Jack yelled across the parking lot as he climbed into his truck.

He was feeling better already.  Now the man was ready for phase one of his mission.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3 

Jack pulled his truck into the graveled parking lot that he would have rather not seen again.  But it had to be done.  First he would purge his inner demons and then he would work on whatever it was that the future held for him and Carter.  

By the look on her face, he was the last person Tina expected to see when he walked into the bar.  

He walked up to his usual spot, but did not sit down.  

Tina slowly made her way down the bar, stopping to tend to every other customer in an attempt to stall.

"I didn't expect to see you here so soon."

"Well, believe me, I didn't plan on coming back…… uh…."   

_'Mucking it up already Jack'_

Her face blanched.

"That's not exactly what I meant.  I mean, I didn't plan on coming back, but it wasn't because of you, it was.."

"Wait a minute.  I've got a brake coming up.  I'll meet you outside.  Okay?."  

She did not give him time to respond as she walked away. 

Within five minutes Tina met him outside.  He was standing with his hands in his pockets and scuffing the gravel with the toe of his boot.  

"Hey."

"Hey yourself."

"So, you came to talk."

"Actually, I, yeah.  I came to apologize."

"As I recall you don't have anything to apologize about."  She looked down, embarrassed.  "I initiated everything."

"Well, I'm not really clear on the whole thing myself, but I should have known well enough to stop.  And I'm sorry."  

"Hey, well, a girl can dream, right."  She forced a laugh.

"Yeah."  

That gravel must have been fascinating stuff.

Slowly Tina looked up.  

"So, are you gonna tell her?"

"Her who?"

"Sam" she said quietly.

"Wha…. how…."  Jack blinked, his eyes widened.

"You didn't know?".  She shook her head.

"Didn't know what?"  Jack said sounding defensive.

"You called out her name last night.  When you  came it was her name on your lips.  You love her."

"Well, I don't know about that, I-"  

She cut him off.

"You told her you loved her when you called out her name."

Jack felt his throat constrict.  He could see this was becoming a very difficult conversation for both of them to have.  It had to end now.

"I'm so sorry Tina."

"I was foolish to think-"

"No, believe me, it's not you.  We all make mistakes."

"Well, at least I wasn't making the mistake by myself."  She said with sarcasm.  

"I've gotta go now."

"Yeah, my break's about up anyway."

Jack nodded and turned to walk away.

Tina called out; "It was nice knowing you Jack."

He waved as he climbed into his truck, started the engine, and drove off into another chapter of his life.  

Jack sat in his truck, idle, across the street from Carter's house.

It was around midnight and all the lights were off.  All the lights except for the one he knew to be her bedroom.

He was not going in tonight.  He wasn't ready.  But somehow, while lost in thought, the road had brought him here.  

'I love Carter.  I knew that, but to have actually vocalized it… to let someone else know about it.'

'It's all coming out now.'

_'You are my one true weakness Sam.'_

Once the last light went out Jack whispered**, "Goodnight Sam", and then brought his engine to life and headed for home.**


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 5 

Jack woke Saturday morning to an intense blaze of sunlight that was filtering through his window. 

It felt like it was shooting straight through his aching head.  Holding a hand up to shelter his eyes from the bright onslaught he squinted to look at his alarm clock.  It was well after noon.

After a few moments of contemplation Jack was sure that he had not been drinking the night before.  He had not even stayed up very late.  Apparently he just had one hell of a headache.    

Groaning he dragged himself to his feet and padded downstairs towards the kitchen where he switched on the coffee pot.  Then, after helping himself to a few Tylenol and a glass of water he headed off for the bathroom in hopes that a nice hot shower would help ease his weary head.

A long shower, a couple cups of coffee and a fresh shave later he felt nearly human again, despite the mild headache still throbbing behind his eyes.  As he set to getting dressed he repressed the thoughts of pain as far back into his mind as he could; then started thinking of Sam and just how things might work out with her that day.

*******

Jack could hear the sound of upbeat music wafting through the windows of Sam's house as he walked up her front steps.

After ringing the doorbell a couple of times he heard a clatter, a bump and a distant voice yelling "I'm coming".

Sam arrived at the door looking slightly disheveled, wearing lounge pants, a tank top and her hair tied back in a scarf.  She was also still wearing a dusting mitten on the hand that rested against the doorframe.

"Carter," Jack greeted her as an amused expression spread across his face.

"Colonel," she smiled in surprise, "come on in," she added and, standing to one side, gestured for him to enter.  She then followed him into the cluttered room and discarded the dusting mitt that had been on her hand. 

"What are you up to today?"

"Oh, just a bit of house cleaning.  I was dusting my ceiling fans when you rang."

"I see," Jack replied as he took in the state of the room.

Cleaning products were scattered everywhere.  The vacuum cleaner stood in the corner.  There was an upturned step stool lying on the floor underneath the motionless ceiling fan.

"So, what brings you by today Sir?"

"Well actually," he nervously ran his hand through his hair, "I was hoping we could… talk."

"Talk?"  She asked with an air of curiosity.

"Yeah… You think you might wanna take a walk with me?  We could head down to that little park around the corner."

Sam was intrigued.  Very rarely did her CO ever want to 'talk', really talk, about anything.  She definitely wanted to see where this was going.

"Sure.  Um, just give me a minute to change…  I'll be right back," she called over her shoulder as she headed back towards her bedroom.

She returned just a couple minutes later, having run a brush through her no longer covered hair and now wearing jeans and a t-shirt.  Walking over to her stereo she turned the music off and then turned to Jack.

"Ok, ready to go."

They walked the distance to the park in silence, both lost in their own thoughts.  Sam wondering what exactly was going on.  Jack still trying to figure out how he wanted to approach the subject.

Once there they mutually decided on a bench at the far corner of the park.  It was a beautiful day and the sun just barely streamed through the shade trees that hovered over their destination.  

After seating themselves Sam studied Jack's features for a moment.  He did not look well.

"Are you feeling ok?"

"Huh?"

She rested the back of her hand on his forehead for a short moment checking for fever, "You don't look so well today."

He shrugged it off.  "I'm fine.  Just a bit of a headache today.  Nothing a little fresh air won't help."

"So, we're here to get rid of your headache then?" Sam inquired.

"Um, well… I suppose if you want to put it that way."  He turned in his seat so he was facing her more directly.  "Sam, we really need to talk."

"Okay…" she said curiously, waiting for him to continue.

Sighing, shifting nervously and then looking down to stare at the ground Jack spoke up quietly, "I can't go on like this anymore".

Not looking at her he waited for a response.  When none came he continued.

"This thing between us, whatever it is, is it still there?"  He looked hopefully into her softening features.

"Jack," she said softly, full of affection; then rested her hand on his arm.

With a bit more courage in his tone he asked again, "Is it still there?"

Sam closed her eyes and took a moment to compose herself before replying.

"Yes.  It's still here… but there's not a lot we can do about it at the moment.  You know that."

Sighing he replied, "I know that, and that is why something has got to change."

"What do you mean?  What are you talking about here?"

"I can't go on like this anymore.  It's become painfully clear to me.  The regs have got to change, or I'll retire, or whatever it takes, but I need you in my life."  He shifted his eyes back towards the ground again.  "If you'll have me, that is."

After a moment of fear and gut wrenching hesitation Sam's hand came under his chin and lifted his head until his eyes met her watery blue ones.  She was trembling slightly.

"It's not going to be easy."

Jack grasped her hand and responded with a wry smile, "It couldn't possibly get any worse."

"Oh god," Sam breathed out and looked out across the park.  When she returned her gaze to Jack she asked, "Is this really happening?"

"Please Sam.  Let it happen.  At least give us a chance to try."

Holding hands moved into hesitant caresses up each other's arms and then slowly turned into a firm embrace.  Sam buried her head in the hollow of Jack's neck, and he began to run his fingers through her golden hair.  

Just as peace was beginning to settle on his soul Sam sniffed and looked up at him, pulling slightly out of their embrace.  

"What was it?"

"What was what?"

"What brought you to this now?  What happened?"

Jack pulled the rest of the way out of their embrace and grasped her hand once again.  He also returned his once again nervous attention to the ground beneath them.

"I'd really rather not go into it," he said with a gruff and shaky voice.

"Jack," Sam begged his attention in an almost scolding tone.

He looked back up at her.

"If we're going to do this Jack… If we're going to give this a try, we need to start out on the right foot.  I want an honest relationship.  No secrets."

He continued to listen to her while trying to tamp down on the thoughts and emotions currently whirling through his head.

"I know it's hard for you to open up, but if you want this to work you're going to have to try.  For all we know the whole world, hell the whole universe could be against us.  If we can't be honest with each other we don't stand a chance."

Jack sighed in resignation.  He knew it was unavoidable, so he looked back into her azure depths and began to speak.

"It was someone else."

Sam looked at him with barely concealed indignation.

He winced but continued.

"It took someone else, and a huge, massive, royal mistake… and,"  he watched her face becoming even more stern as he went on, "please Sam, don't look at me like that.  You wanted honesty and here it is.  I know it's no excuse, but I was very drunk, and very depressed, and… oh hell, I'm only human for crying out loud."

"So you went and slept with someone else and then decided you couldn't live without me?" she nearly spat.

"Sam," he said more firmly, "It was a mistake.  A very bad mistake.  It was like a kick in the head, and apparently a good kick in the head was what I needed to knock some sense into me."

"I could have kicked you in the head," she said with a heavy amount of sarcasm.

"I'm sorry Sam.  I never intended to… but I'm here now, and I'm begging for forgiveness and for a chance.  Please Sam."

Hurt, shock and confusion all measured on her face and she sat utterly still for what seemed like an eternity.

"I need some time to think."

"Okay.  Time is good."

Sam abruptly stood up then and exclaimed, "I'm going for a walk."

"Would you like –"

"No!"  Sam cut him off.  "I need to walk alone and clear my head a bit."  At the look of fear in Jack's face she softened a bit, "I just need to clear my head… think things through.  I'll be back."

And with that said she headed off towards the nature trail.

Jack hung his head and could only hope that she would forgive him.

Then he waited… and waited.

********

An hour later Jack was still sitting on the bench in the park.  That's when it hit him.

_Indigestion?_

_Well that's odd._  Jack thought, being that he had not even eaten yet. 

Come to think of it, Jack really hadn't been feeling well at all today.  His head was throbbing intensely yet again and the ache in his chest was growing.  

_Maybe I'm coming down with something._

Whatever it was, Jack decided he had sat on that bench for long enough.  He wanted to give Sam the time she needed, but he really felt that he should just be getting back home and to bed at that point.  

As he rose from the bench he also noticed how shaky he felt.  

Odd.  Must be one hell of a flu bug.  I hope it's nothing that one of the SG teams brought back to share with all of us.

After a slow walk back to Sam's house he went up to her door and knocked.  When there was no answer he tried the doorknob.  It was still locked.  _Apparently she still needed more time to clear her head, figure things out, or whatever.  _He could understand that.  He had dropped quite a load on her today.  He was willing to give her all the time and space she needed.  He just hoped that she would come around soon.

With that thought Jack headed back to his truck.

He unlocked the door and began to climb into the drivers seat when the pain in his chest swelled and completely overtook him.  

******

Just a few minutes later Sam rounded the corner of her street feeling much more at peace with herself and ready to finish that conversation with Jack.  

That's when she saw it.

Jack, his truck door still ajar, slumped in his seat with his legs hanging out at an awkward angle.

She broke into a panicked run.  _What the hell could have happened!?! _

Assessing the situation quickly she decided that it would be best to go in from the passengers side.

Sam quickly flung the door open and climbed in leaning over Jack to look into his face.

Jack had heard the door and opened his bleary eyes to see a fuzzy rimmed Samantha Carter looking down at him quite worriedly.

"Sam," it came out nearly a whisper.

"Jack, what the hell happened?" she asked, already fearing she knew what it was.  She saw the way he was grasping his chest with his right hand.

"Sam," he began with a bit more strength in his voice, "get me out of the truck."

"Ok… ok.. just hang in there a sec, ok."  Her nerves were beginning to show through, but she knew she needed to be strong for Jack's sake.

Within seconds she was back around the drivers side of the truck and pulling him up with his good arm.  She knew he was holding the pain in.  She could see it in his eyes and feel it in the heavy panting he was doing while trying to remain compliant.

Once she had him lying on the grass she began to pat him down in search of his cell phone.  After locating it she reached her hand into his pocket to retrieve it, but Jack's voice brought her to a halt.

"Oh Sam… bad timing.  Any other day…," he attempted to joke with a weary grin.

"Leave it to you to joke at a time like this Jack."

She finished retrieving the phone, flipped it open and dialed 911.

While giving all the necessary information to the emergency worker on the other end she began to stroke the side of Jack's face with soothing motions.  

He leaned into her ministrations and closed his eyes in contentment; even under the current circumstances he could feel the love radiating from her.

Once Sam hung the phone up she noticed Jack's eyes were closed and pressed her other hand to the opposite side of his head.  "Come on Jack, open your eyes for me…. Jack…. Jack!  Open your eyes!", she demanded.

Slowly he did, and she could see even further confusion setting in on their murky depths.

The last thing he uttered came out just barely audible, "Love you Sam."  

Then his eyes rolled back in his head and he stopped breathing.

Panic and anger gripped Sam's heart at the same time, tears pricked the corners of her eyes, and she shouted, "OH HELL NO YOU DON'T!"

Checking for a pulse and beginning to administer CPR Sam began a chant of "Come on Jack, stay with me… Come on…. Jack, don't you dare leave me now… Oh god Jack…. Come back to me, please…. Jack."

This chant continued on between breaths of life giving-oxygen, and didn't stop even after the EMT's arrived and removed her from Jack's still body.  They then proceeded to load him on a stretcher and continue the resuscitation.  

Before Sam could completely break down and collapse into her front lawn one of the EMT's caught her.  He handed her Jack's cell phone that was still lying in the grass, and helped her climb into the back of the ambulance along with the stretcher.


End file.
